I was reading an article the other day titled, “The Surprising Ingredient That Could Make Added Sugar Obsolete”. It was about a Colorado-based start-up company that has discovered an ingredient that will make packaged foods taste good without added sugars. The purpose of this ingredient is to block our ability to taste bitterness so the adding of sugar or artificial sweeteners would not be necessary. This ingredient is a fungus called mycelium which, which is crushed into a powder, mixed with a liquid and added to bitter foods and clings to the bitter tastebuds until your saliva washes it away. That few seconds is enough time to mask the bitter taste.
Besides my skepticism about this ingredient that I am sure has not been researched thoroughly and the possible effects it can have on our health, this article made me think about the taste discriminating ability of the tongue and how the Standard American Diet has limited our flavor experience to mainly sweet and salty. Speaking of the tongue, in the early 20th century a German scientist named David P. Hanig developed a tongue map which separates the tongue into defined segments that each taste different flavors. You may have learned about this in elementary school. According to this map, bitter flavors are tasted at the very back of the tongue, sweet flavors on the very tip of the tongue, salty on either side of the tongue behind the tip and sour on either side behind the salty tastebuds. This theory has since been disproven and it is now known that the tastebuds perceive all flavors. The tip and edges of the tongue are especially sensitive to taste and some parts of the tongue have a lower threshold for perceiving certain tastes but the differences are minute. There are five basic flavors that we perceive in food and herbs, bitter, sour, sweet and pungent. Each flavor produces particular actions and has a relationship with one or several body systems. With the consumption of sugar and processed foods, we have lost our appreciation of these flavors. Hunter-gatherers experienced these flavors on a regular basis. Each season would offer different tastes depending on what was available and what region the hunter-gatherer lived in. We have food so readily available to us but it is mostly sweet and salty flavors that we experience on a daily basis. Let’s go over each flavor and it’s benefits. Bitter Bitter herbs stimulate the production of normal digestive secretions and promote healthy digestion and elimination. The flavor of bitter on the tongue starts the flow of saliva in the mouth and sends hormonal signals to the rest of the digestive tract to prepare hydrochloric acid and digestive enzyme production so that we can break down food and absorb nutrients. The bitter flavor also stimulates motility of the digestive tract supporting healthy elimination. Examples of bitter foods and herbs are dandelion root, arugula, kale, artichokes, broccoli, turmeric, oregano, coriander, mustard seed and chocolate Sour The herbs with a sour flavor also affect digestion by promoting the production of bile in the liver and excretion of bile from the gallbladder in order to break down fats in the diet. Many of the sour herbs are also bitters. (Sorry - Sour Patch Kids don’t count!) Examples of sour foods and herbs are lemon, lime, grapefruit, sour cherries, vinegar, yogurt, sauerkraut, kimchi Sweet Sweet herbs are often calming to the nervous system and soothing to inflamed mucous membrane tissue. Demulcent herbs, those with mucilage that promotes healthy mucous membrane tissue, soothe and protect irritated and inflamed internal tissues, are also considered sweet. They have a slippery mild taste and swell in water. This forms a gel-like mass that protects and soothes tissues. Examples of demulcent herbs are licorice, marshmallow, and slippery elm. Examples of sweet foods and spices are cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, allspice, lavender, basil, mint, sesame, grains, carrots, sweet potatoes, and beets Pungent Pungent herbs are spicy in flavor and aromatic. The pungent flavor is present in plants that are antimicrobial in nature and assist in supporting a healthy immune system response. Our most common culinary herbs are considered pungent. Examples of pungent foods, herbs and spices are garlic, onions, ginger, cinnamon, thyme, sage, turmeric, cayenne, cumin, black and green peppercorns Salty The body uses salt to maintain fluid levels. A balance of fluid and sodium are necessary for the health of the heart, kidneys, and liver. Salt regulates blood fluids and prevents low blood pressure. Salty foods also help you stay hydrated, balance electrolytes and prevent muscle cramping Examples of salty foods and herbs are dandelion leaf, seaweed, kelp, pickles, meat, shellfish \Many people are under the assumption that salt is bad for you but in reality, it does serve a purpose in our body. The problems have arisen because, again, the overconsumption of processed foods containing refined sugars/salts/fats have leached vitamins and minerals from our bodies and cause imbalances. These imbalances are what actually create health conditions such as high blood pressure. The more we consume whole, unprocessed foods and remove processed “dead” foods, the more our body will respond appropriately and as it was made to function. My challenge to each of you is to try to incorporate as many of the five flavors that you can each day. If you steer your tastebuds away from only salty and sweet and find an appreciation for bitter and sour, you just may find that your sweet tooth will turn a little less sweet.
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